Manly coach Kieran Foran has leapt to the defence of his right back rower after Haumole Olakau'atu was shockingly relegated to the extended bench for the second fixture of the State of Origin series.
Despite leading the metre count out of all the NSW Blues forwards in Game 1, Laurie Daley has opted to take the 27-year-old out of his winning side.
What makes it even more bizarre is Olakau'atu's efforts at clubland have seen him grow into in career-best form, dismantling South Sydney last week with 266 run metres, 140 post contact metres and five tackle breaks.
Olakau'atu was replaced by Knights left back rower Dylan Lucas, but Foran claimed there is no one else he'd rather have running out on his side than the Tongan international.
“I'm extremely disappointed for Haumole and I wouldn't want any other back rower in the game other than him,” Foran told NewsCorp.
“He is a true professional, Haumole, and he will be a team player. He will do whatever is needed for his side and his state.”
Daley insisted despite winning the opening encounter, Olakau'atu wasn't able to be squeezed into the side following some hot form by Lucas in the Hunter.
“It's always difficult to have those chats, but you've just got to make the decision on what you think is in the best interest of the team and what the team needs,” NSW coach Daley said.
“It was difficult. We tried to see whether we could put him on the bench, but just the balance of the side and the balance of the bench with another back-rower there, we felt like we needed a big man.
“So it's just one of those hard calls that you've got to make. He's a destructive back rower, but unfortunately (for him) we want to give Dylan a run in this game and I'm sure that he'll play really well.”
“There's been a number of theories discussed today because this is a significant call because you win an Origin game and Loz decides to drop his starting back-rower,” journalist David Riccio said on NRL 360.
“One was about Haumaole's kick chase efforts. We had a look at those and that was one of the better components of Haumole's game.
“My understanding is it's the effort areas off the ball and that when the Blues didn't have the ball and were in defensive mode, the Queenslanders would go and attack his side of the field.
“If not, at him players around him before moving away and coming back to his side.”
Training loads within the 10-day camp have also been contributing whispers to why he was axed from the starting squad, with Olakau'atu succumbing to cramps during the first match and unable to finish the contest.
“The other element to this and this is a common discussion point for every club when they send their players into Origin camps, is how that training load differs to our players,” Riccio said.
“Haumole is a big man and the Manly Sea Eagles runs a program that has to suit Haumole and is specific to him.
“The Blues don't run the same program. Two days out before a game Manly don't train. Two days out before Origin play, the Blues train.”
The Manly Sea Eagles will take the most away from this bizarre situation, boasting a fresh Olakau'atu for the backend of the season, who will no-doubt have a fire lit underneath him when he prepares for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on June 20.
